Setting Up Mechanical Specific Energy (MSE)

Revision 6 of DOCU181
Revised June 12, 2018
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Table of Contents

1 Overview ............................................................................................ 4

2 The Importance of Torque Calibration in MSE ................................ 5

3 Determining the Right Setup Procedure .......................................... 6

3.1 Recommended ROP Setting for MSE ............................................................ 6

4 Procedure 1: When Using a Mud Motor and All Mud Motor

Specifications are Known ................................................................. 7

5 Procedure 2: When Using a Mud Motor and Only the Mud

Motor’s Speed-to-Flow Ratio is Known ........................................... 9

6 Procedure 3: When Not Using a Mud Motor and Torque is

Calibrated in Actual Units ............................................................... 10

7 Procedure 4: When Not Using a Mud Motor and Torque is

Calibrated in Relative Units ............................................................ 11

8 Procedure 5: Disabling MSE ........................................................... 12

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1 Overview

This document describes the mechanical specific energy (MSE) setup procedures for rig
managers and drillers using Pason’s Electronic Drilling Recorder (EDR).

On a drilling rig, MSE refers to the amount of energy required to drill through a volume of
rock. There are two types of MSE:
· Actual MSE (MSE)
· Relative MSE (rMSE)

Because it is displayed in specific units (ksi) that are usable in other calculations,
engineers and geologists prefer actual MSE. You should always set up an actual MSE
trace whenever torque values are available in N m or ft-lbs. Nevertheless, relative MSE
(which the EDR displays without a unit of measurement) is still valuable as a trending
tool.

You can set up the EDR to calculate an MSE value and display it as a trace. A drilling
engineer, driller, or geologist can analyze MSE trends from this trace to identify possible
inefficiencies and make adjustments to drilling parameters.

Note:
MSE is not a hands-off trace—if you want the EDR to display MSE, you must perform one of the
setup procedures in this document.

The EDR uses the following values to calculate MSE:

· Torque
· Weight on bit (WOB)
· Rate of penetration (ROP). Instantaneous ROP and Overall ROP are not
used in MSE calculations.
· Revolutions per minute (RPM)
· Bit diameter
· Total RPM (mud motor RPM + rotary RPM), if a mud motor is in use

Important:
You must maintain accurate calibration of torque and WOB at all times and enter
changes to bit diameter and mud motor specifications in the EDR. Failure to do so
results in inaccurate MSE values.

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2 The Importance of Torque Calibration in MSE

Torque is a critical part of how the EDR calculates MSE. Simply put, your MSE value is
only as good as your torque value—actual torque is needed for actual MSE, and relative
torque is needed for relative MSE.

On rigs not using a mud motor, there are three ways to measure torque:
· A Pason sensor supplies relative torque measurements (in psi for hydraulic
drives, or in amps for electric drives) to the EDR. A Pason torque sensor can
only measure relative torque.
· A Pason sensor supplies relative torque measurements to the EDR, which is
calibrated to a non-Pason sensor measuring actual torque (in N m or ft-lb).
· A third-party sensor supplies actual torque measurements (in N m or ft-lb)
directly to the EDR.

Important:
When configuring torque, ensure that the units you select in the EDR match the units
of the data from the torque sensor. If those units are not available for selection, you
must convert them into units that the EDR supports.
On rigs using a mud motor, the EDR also uses the motor specifications to calculate
MSE. Because this can be confusing, the next section, Determining the Right Setup
Procedure, provides you a simple way to choose your MSE setup.

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3 Determining the Right Setup Procedure

Find the set of statements in the table below that best describes your situation, then use
the indicated procedure to set up MSE on your rig.
If… …use this procedure to set up MSE

1. My rig uses a mud motor.

2. I know the mud motor’s
· maximum differential pressure Procedure 1
· maximum torque
· speed-to-flow ratio
1. My rig uses a mud motor.
2. I only know the mud motor’s speed-to-flow Procedure 2
ratio.
3. Torque is calibrated in psi or amps.
1. My rig uses a mud motor. The EDR cannot calculate MSE or
2. I do not know the mud motor’s specifications. rMSE. Use Procedure 5 to disable
MSE in the EDR.

1. My rig does not use a mud motor Procedure 3

2. Torque is calibrated in N m or ft-lb
1. My rig does not use a mud motor Procedure 4
2. Torque is calibrated in psi or amps
Table 1: Factors for determining your MSE setup procedure

Tip:
You can obtain the mud motor’s speed-to-flow ratio, maximum rated torque, and maximum rated
differential pressure from the mud motor’s specifications, or from the mud motor’s supplier.

3.1 Recommended ROP Setting for MSE

The EDR’s MSE calculations use the rate of penetration (ROP) trace, which has an
averaging window that you can adjust. When using MSE, Pason recommends setting
the ROP averaging window to Automatic. Before you configure MSE, check ROP
settings: on the DHC or on a Rig Display in Drilling mode, make sure the averaging
window is set to Automatic under Menu > Setup > Calibrate > ROP.

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4 Procedure 1: When Using a Mud Motor and All
Mud Motor Specifications are Known

Follow the procedure below on the DHC or Rig Display to set up actual MSE:
1. On the main screen, add the MSE trace to your trace order, then select it. The
MSE settings window opens.

Figure 1: MSE settings window

2. Select the Hole Diam button, enter the hole diameter, then press OK.

Tip:
Normally, the hole diameter is the same as the current bit diameter.

3. Select the Mud Motor button, then select Yes to confirm that you are using a
mud motor.
4. Select Mud Motor Config. The Mud Motor screen opens.

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 Figure 2: Mud Motor screen

5. Under Speed-Flow Ratio, select Change. Enter the mud motor’s speed-flow
ratio in rev/L (rev/gal). Press OK to confirm.
6. Under Max Torque, select Change. Enter the mud motor’s maximum torque in N
m (ft-lbs). Press OK to confirm.
7. Under Max Δ Pressure, select Change. Enter the mud motor’s maximum
differential pressure in kPa (psi). Press OK to confirm.
8. Select OK to return to the main screen. The EDR calculates actual MSE and
displays it in the MSE current reading box in ksi units.

Note:
This setup doesn’t require calibrated torque, but if you calibrate torque in relative units,
the EDR will show a calculated value for rMSE as well as MSE. If you calibrate torque in
actual units, the EDR will only show 0.0 in the rMSE reading box.

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5 Procedure 2: When Using a Mud Motor and Only
the Mud Motor’s Speed-to-Flow Ratio is Known

Follow the procedure below on the DHC or Rig Display to set up relative MSE:
1. Ensure that actual or relative torque measurements are being sent to the EDR,
and that torque is properly calibrated in Nm or ft-lbs (for actual torque), or in psi
or amps (for relative torque).
2. On the main screen, add the MSE trace to your trace order, then select it. The
MSE settings window opens (Figure 1).
3. Select the Hole Diam button, enter the hole diameter, then press OK.

Tip:
Normally, the hole diameter is the same as the current bit diameter.

4. Select the Mud Motor button, then select Yes to confirm that you are using a
mud motor.
5. Select Mud Motor Config. The Mud Motor screen opens (Figure 2).
6. Under Speed-Flow Ratio, select Change. Enter the mud motor’s speed-flow ratio
in rev/L (rev/gal). Press OK to confirm.

Note:
The Max Torque and Max Δ Pressure displays must read -- or 0 in this setup. If they do
not, press the Change button under Max Torque and Max Δ Pressure and enter 0.

7. Press OK to return to the main screen. The EDR calculates relative MSE, and
displays it in the Relative MSE trace box in generic units.

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6 Procedure 3: When Not Using a Mud Motor and
Torque is Calibrated in Actual Units

Follow the procedure below on the DHC or Rig Display to set up actual MSE:
1. Ensure that non-Pason sensors are measuring actual torque, and that torque is
properly calibrated in Nm or ft-lbs, or that the non-Pason sensor is wired directly
to the EDR system.
2. On the main screen, add the MSE trace to your trace order, then select it. The
MSE settings window opens (Figure 1).
3. Select the Hole Diam button, enter the hole diameter, then press OK.

Tip:
Normally, the hole diameter is the same as the current bit diameter.

4. Select the Mud Motor button, then select No to confirm that you are not using a
mud motor.
5. Select OK to return to the main screen. The EDR calculates actual MSE, and
displays it in the MSE trace box in ksi units.

Note:
In this setup, the EDR shows a calculated value in the MSE reading box and 0.0 in the
rMSE reading box.

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7 Procedure 4: When Not Using a Mud Motor and
Torque is Calibrated in Relative Units

Follow the procedure below on the DHC or Rig Display to set up relative MSE:
1. Ensure that Pason sensors are sending relative torque measurements to the
EDR, and that torque is properly calibrated in psi for hydraulic drives, or in amps
for electric drives.
2. On the main screen, add the MSE trace to your trace order, then select it. The
MSE settings window opens (Figure 1).
3. Select the Hole Diam button, enter the hole diameter, then press OK.

Tip:
Normally, the hole diameter is the same as the current bit diameter.

4. Select the Mud Motor button, then select No to confirm that you are not using a
mud motor.
5. Select OK to return to the main screen. The EDR calculates relative MSE, and
displays it in the Relative MSE trace box in generic units.

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8 Procedure 5: Disabling MSE

Follow the procedure below on the DHC or Rig Display to disable the MSE calculation.

Tip:
When conditions on the rig change, or if you are not confident in your calibrations, it is a good
idea to disable MSE until you sort out the situation. If not, others monitoring the EDR will see an
inaccurate MSE value.

1. Select the MSE current reading box. The MSE settings window opens (Figure 1).
2. Select the Hole Diam button, enter a value of 0, then press OK.
3. Select OK to return to the main screen. The EDR stops displaying all MSE
values

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